Buryanek State Recreation Area

Lewis and Clark traveled through this area where they were told to watch for "burning bluffs" along the river.

The Lewis and Clark expedition left its mark on this area with the story of Private George Shannon. At 19 years old, Shannon was the youngest member of the expedition. He got lost when he went to get the strayed horses and thought the crew had moved up the river. Shannon raced to meet the boats and was found 2 weeks later starving and exhausted. The expedition had been downstream from him the entire time. Years later, Gregory County began mining gravel at this site. Campground development began in the 1990s and this is now one of the great state parks situated next to the Missouri River.

The park has a small fishing pond full of walleye and other species such as smallmouth bass, northern pike, pan fish, and sometimes channel catfish. The "burning bluffs" are created by oil-bearing shale. When lightning strikes to ignite the shale, it can smoke for years. The Buryanek Recreation Area is a great place for boating, fishing, and other outdoor activities near the lake.

There are 37 campsites with electric hookups for RVs. Temperatures are typically in the high 80s to low 90s with about four inches of rain each month during the summer. Expect to see about 8 inches of snow in the winter months with temperatures in the low 30s. Campsites have picnic tables and a fire ring. There are also cabins to rent, a dump station, flush toilets, showers, and freshwater available here.